This invention relates in general to a rear view mirror, and in particular to an internal rear view mirror, for use in a motor vehicle. The rear view mirror is movable relative to a stationary support arm between a normal position and an anti-glare position by means of an active material.
Internal rear view minors are usually swivel mounted on the top of a vehicle's windshield to allow the driver to adjust the minor to optimize a rearward view through the vehicles rear window. Conventional internal rear view mirrors comprise a lever or tab which allows for mechanical movement of the reflective element of the rear view mirror from a normal position into an anti-glare position. In the anti-glare position, glare from a following vehicle's headlamps is reduced by tilting the surface of the reflective element out of line with the driver's view.
Most modem day internal rear view minors autonomously and automatically move the reflective element into the anti-glare position when light is detected that might otherwise blind the driver. For example, such a detection can be realized by means of photo sensors that are arranged on the casing of the rear view minor, or which are being arranged on the rear window itself. In the prior art rear view minors are known that use various components for moving the reflective element. For example, EP 1 593 550 A1 describes a rear view minor where the mirror casing is mounted on the windshield minor and that comprises an adjustment mechanism to adjust the reflective element while the remaining components of the rear view mirror remain stationary. For moving the reflective element, a driving mechanism using mechanical gears is employed.
However, these automatically adjustable rear view mirrors use many mechanical parts and are therefore rather bulky. Also, adjusting the reflective element by means of mechanical gears causes noises which may distract the driver.
Therefore, the invention aims at providing an improved rear view minor that allows to automatically adjust the reflective element, which comprises less parts, which can be mounted in a slim housing, and which does not cause noise when the reflective element is moved.